In the early morning hours of 19 April, one peacekeeper of the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) was shot dead and two others injured in an attack by unidentified assailants on the Mission\u2019s team site near Muhajeriya, East Darfur State. <\/p>\n
UNAMID is investigating the events surrounding the incident and working in coordination with the government of Sudan to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice, as any attack on international peacekeepers is a crime under international law.<\/p>\n
The towns of Labado and Muhajeriya have been the stage of armed dispute between the rebel movement SLA-MM and the Sudanese armed forces (SAF). The cities had been under rebel control for two weeks, but SAF recaptured both of them between Tuesday and Wednesday as SLA-MM withdrew.<\/p>\n
UN OCHA says the towns are located in strategic positions along main routes used by traders and humanitarians to move supplies from Khartoum through East Darfur to South Darfur. <\/p>\n
UNAMID had previously confirmed that SAF, supported by the Popular Defense Forces (PDF) and another armed group, regained control of Labado on Tuesday \u201cafter fierce fighting\u201d. Muhajeriya was recaptured on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The warring parties are blaming each other for carrying out widespread violence against civilians.<\/p>\n
The mission estimates that some 18,000 displaced civilians remain concentrated around UNAMID team sites near Muhajeriya and Labado towns since fighting broke out between the government forces and the SLA-MM.<\/p>\n
For its part, another UN agency declared that about 36,000 civilians fled the clashes and gathered around UNAMID bases in Labado and in Muhajeriya. The numbers are based on estimates by the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC).<\/p>\n
Related<\/em>: UNAMID head calls for access to Darfur\u2019s Labado and Muhajeriya<\/a> (18 April 2013)<\/p>\n